For those who wanted a glimpse of the helper unit at 141 Sanford, Leucadia:
The 3br/2ba house, plus the 1br, all for $799,000!
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Jim Klinge
Klinge Realty Group
Are you looking for an experienced agent to help you buy or sell a home?
Contact Jim the Realtor!
- 682 S. Coast Hwy 101, Suite #110
Encinitas, CA 92024 - (858) 997-3801 call or text
- klingerealty@gmail.com
CA DRE #01527365, CA DRE #00873197
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Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Jim & Donna Klinge helped us sell our home of 30 years in Ocean Hills. We were very happy with their service and would HIGHLY recommend them to anyone looking for an Honest, Knowledgeable, Skilled, Informed Efficient realty team. Both Jim & Donna were so helpful in different ways and complemented each others skills. Please refer to a more detailed review that we wrote on YELP. Thank You Both for all your help!!!Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. A+ thank youTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Many years ago, we purchased a home in Carlsbad, using a realtor that was recommended to us - Jim Klinge. Fast forward to 2025, we recently had the privilege of selling 2 homes in Carlsbad, CA and didn't hesitate to reach out to Jim and Donna Klinge of Klinge Realty Group to guide us through the sales. The transactions were very different, each with its own unique situation, opportunities and challenges. From start to finish, Donna and Jim helped navigate the pre-sale preparation, the listing, showing of the house, buyer negotiations, the final close and all of the paperwork and decisions in between. What stands out with both transactions is the professionalism of Jim and Donna (and their team), wonderful communication (timely, relevant, concise), their deep understanding of market dynamics (setting realistic expectations), their access to top-notch contractors, and last, their ability to guide us across the finish line successfully. We wouldn't hesitate to use Jim and Donna in the future and highly recommend them for anyone looking to buy or sell a property in North San Diego County.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We sold a home with Jim and Donna and from beginning to end they were consummate professionals. Their initial walk through the property resulted in a list of items to be repaired or updated. They supplied a list of vendors and job quotes to do the repairs and updates. We originally wanted to sell ‘as is’ and just get it over with. They gave us a selling price for ‘as is’ and options for doing a few updates/repairs to doing it all with the selling price for each option. We agreed to do all they suggested and we sold for the exact price they predicted. For every dollar spent we got back more than $2 back in the selling price. And they got that price in a rising interest rate environment! Donna and Jim are extremely detailed and guide you through ever aspect of the sale. There were no surprises thanks to their guidance. We couldn’t be more pleased with their representation. Thank you Donna and Jim, Jerry and MaryTrustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We have known Jim & Donna Klinge for over a dozen years, having met them in Carlsbad where our children went to the same school. As long time North County residents, it was a no- brainer for us to have the Klinges be our eyes and ears for San Diego real estate in general and North County in particular. As my military career caused our family to move all over the country and overseas to Asia, Europe and the Pacific, we trusted Jim and Donna to help keep our house in Carlsbad rented with reliable and respectful tenants for over 10 years. Naturally, when the time came to sell our beloved Carlsbad home to pursue a rural lifestyle in retirement out of California, we could think of no better team to represent us than Jim and Donna. They immediately went to work to update our house built in 2004 to current-day standards and trends — in 2 short months they transformed it into a literal modern-day masterpiece. We trusted their judgement implicitly and followed 100% of their recommended changes. When our house finally came on the market, there was a blizzard of serious interest, we had multiple offers by the third day and it sold in just 5 days after a frenzied bidding war for 20% above our asking price! The investment we made in upgrades recommended by Jim and Donna yielded a 4-fold return, in the process setting a new high water mark for a house sold in our community. In our view, there are no better real estate professionals in all of San Diego than Jim and Donna Klinge. Buying or selling, you must run and beg Jim and Donna Klinge to represent you! Our family will never forget Jim, Donna, and their whole team at Compass — we are forever grateful to them.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. WeI had the pleasure of working with Klinge Realty Group to sell our home in Carmel Valley, and I cannot recommend them highly enough! Jim and Donna demonstrated exceptional professionalism, offering expert guidance on market conditions and pricing strategy, which resulted in a quick and successful sale. Communication was prompt and we were well-informed throughout the entire process. For anyone looking for a dedicated and knowledgeable real estate team, look no further! ---Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Donna and Jim Klinge of Klinge Realty Group have our highest possible recommendation. From Donna and Jim’s first visit to our house through closing their advice and counsel was candid and honest in all dealings. They kept us fully informed throughout the process. The house sold less than three days after listing with a two-week closing. My wife and I have sold several houses during our lives. This was by far the best experience. Klinge Reality is a premium service realtor. You can’t make a better choice for someone to sell your home fast and for top dollar.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Donna and Jim provided exceptional support and professionalism throughout the entire process. We couldn't have been happier with their efforts. They made our house shine, and thanks to their expertise, it sold above the listing price in the very first weekend! Truly a fantastic experience from start to finish.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. This year has been difficult on our family, mainly due to having to sell our home. Thankfully we knew God had a plan for us and working with the Klinge team was a key part of it. It was an obvious decision to work with them again after such an amazing experience when purchasing the same home we needed to sell. The challenge was, how will we do this in so little time with so much going on? Jim and Donna held our hand every step of the way. Whenever an unexpected issue arose they found and provided a solution. Never once did we feel pressured to make a decision and the Klinges were always reassuring after providing the information that the decision was ours to make. Despite the curve balls, they never panicked and exemplified the “can do” attitude, making us feel optimistic and taken care of. Their expertise and professionalism was superb. But of all the reasons to work with the Klinges, the most impactful and valuable is their compassion and genuine care for their clients. We pray that we can one day purchase our forever home and you better believe that Jim and Donna will be representing us - as long as they will have us of course. Thank you again Klinge team! Your execution, experience, and care are unmatched.Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Jim and Donna were fantastic! Jim understanding my needs, recommending potential places, pointing out the pros and cons of each property was invaluable. Then when the offer was accepted Donna’s organized guidance through the inspections, paperwork etc made the whole process seem effortless. So grateful that I had them on my side!Load more
I fully understand your rant. We built a legal granny flat (detached) and suddenly we’re a multi-unit property – the only one in our neighborhood. Caused grief with the refi last year. (No good comps, appraisal on wrong form.) I’m sure it will be a mess if/when we go to sell.
In the meantime – I would have LOVED to find a place like this rather than build from scratch. Lots of us folks with aging parents who like the idea of being close, but not necessarily having the folks living with you.
Amazing… the Board of Realtors cares about how the property is classified but not at all about those pocket listings and other short sale listings that only hit the mls for 2 minutes! It sounds like the Board of Realtors is just following rules, not using any real brain power.
Talk about ridiculous! Not only does the Board of Realtors have no brain power, they also have no common sense. Just my two cents…
It almost sounds like someone with a beef against Jim is trying to use the Board of Realtors as a blunt instrument. But that’s purest speculation on my part…
I like the helper unit very much, especially the small courtyard. I could easily live in a place like that. In fact, I’m overdue for a lodging downsize. I’ve accumulated so much crap over the years, it’s time to take out a shovel and start fresh!
It looks like you also need a shovel Jim, but for shoveling something entirely different. 😉
In my experience, 90% of realtors are crooked, incompetent, or both so this is no surprise. Infuriating yes, surprising no.
ewhac-That’s exactly it. Jim is clearly stepping on too many people’s toes with his blog. He is not happy about the way SANDICOR is run and they are returning the favor, it looks like.
Not from your neck of the woods so it has to be a local market perception thing.
My first impression when you first showed the property a few vids ago and mentioned that it was an actual “legal/on title” 2 unit property was that this had MORE value than the many non-legal add on examples you have shown in the past.
I would think the shrewd buyer would be looking in the duplex section (not sure what that means) for precisely these types of opportunities. All legal, no hassle with planning departments and provides a nice monthly kicker. What’s the deal?
I only have two enemies, the two agents I told to retire because they were such blundering incompetants. One took me up on it.
The other showed up on the MLS-police committee when I got reported for including the Countrywide lender phone number in the remarks of my first REO listing.
I pleaded my case, that it was my first listing and Countrywide required it, and I wasn’t trying to deliberately steer buyers to the lender so he would steer them to me.
Bette Curtis was staring me down the whole time, and surprise, she and the committee showed no mercy – I was found guilty and fined $500.
My next offense gets me into the $1,000 club.
Good news – as a result of today’s comradarie among agents, and because I was whining about it all day to anyone who would listen, the word got out to another listing agent on caravan who is having a similar problem.
She has a 700sf teardown on a 0.60-acre lot that has already been approved for 5 lots. She has a preliminary map and eveything.
Sandicor rejected her variance request, and made her put it in the detached file only, not land for sale.
Because I have many more friends than enemies, thankfully, when she heard that I was getting my huevos squeezed too she invited me to join her at the appeal meeting she is having on Friday, and together we could bust some heads at Sandicor (my words).
Let me make it clear what my beef is.
If Sandicor is going to insist on these insane policies to the detriment of our clients, fine, they will expedite their own demise.
But they don’t enforce the same rules upon everyone. I mentioned in the video the guy right across the street got away with it for at least six months, and nobody said anything.
Or you can take a look at 809 Clark in 92024. The listing agent has it currently listed in both detached and 2-4 units, without any mention of a variance – which is required if you’ve been approved for one.
Sandicor’s selective enforcement of the rules is my beef. It sounds like discrimination.
the shrewd buyer would be looking in the duplex section
I’m sure that some buyers do look in the 2-4 unit section, but because you can search the detached section for SFRs that also have a “guest house”, some might limit their search to ‘detached’ only.
I have my listing in detached, with the box marked for a guest house – doesn’t that describe it too?
Got the beef.
However, not sure if lack of enforcement is grounds for defense. Not sure.
I prefer your other take…end of the day what is in the best interest of the customer(s).
Sounds less adversarial and more reasonable.
…doesn’t that describe it too?
Absolutely. I struggle with the notion of a system of classifications that can be detrimental to promoting a property. Shouldn’t they function the other way?
Presumably somewhere in some code of ethics there would be the phrase “best interest of the consumer”?
Again not from your area or industry so not too sure on the terminology (SFR’s for example) however after a quick scan of Sandicors online rules and such it would appear that maybe they are hanging their hat on the Residential Income classification and the rights Sandicor has. Regardless, from here it definitely appears as a technocratic CF.
Best of luck on Friday. Again my two cents, best interest of the customer.
My beef? Developers who post Sale Pending on homes with inaccurate square footage. Copperwood posted a bunch of homes to sale pending recently that supposedly have 3800+ sq ft. They don’t even have any models that big. They way they did it was they used their model home square footage that had a casita but then they didn’t offer even one home with a casita yet used the model homes sq ft that had the casita. The reason it matters is it lowers comps fraudulantly. Hurts the local sellers. Wish someone would turn them in for that.
Tell Sandicor that if the property gets a case of duplexia, it’ll never sell. 🙂
And before your meeting on Friday, recant Ali’s line: “I’m a baaad man!” Dey don’t know who dey messin’ wit.
GEEZ! Given the outrageously unethical and borderline criminal behavior they countenance they shouldn’t *even* be discussing such a trivial matter.
BTW, what’s the sq ft breakdown between the main & the second? That’s a nice little pad for $1050, especially considering the location.
I’d call this a SFH with a granny flat.
A duplex is income property which this clearly isn’t based upon the layout and area. There is a bonus with this being all on one floor in that aging parents don’t have to walk up stairs.
With the current boomer market, this has to be a feature these days.
Hope you win this one Jim.
Yep. I also see it as a granny flat. To me, a proper duplex is a multi-residential building with at most four apartments of comparable size and layout, with only the main floor apartments having the benefit of a yard and possibly a basement. All the house in the video has is best described as an add-on, nothing more. Its square footage and layout isn’t even close to matching the main home’s square footage and layout.
Jim,
You need to do what is best for the client. Sandicor should bug out of your marketing plan. Keep on keeping on.
Do things with a “granny flat” or “guest house” have to have the seperate unit be detached from the main one? That’s the only reason I can think of that this wouldn’t qualify-although the selective enforcement stinks.
But clearly this isn’t a stereotypical duplex, which usually indicates two units of the same size. It’s sort of a western version of the eastern big city row house with a basement apartment-one large section for the owners to live in, one smaller section to rent out to help pay the mortgage.
Out in Riverside (MRMLS), things are listed in the “wrong” section all the time. Condos listed in the detached area, tear-down houses listed in the land section, duplexes listed in the SFR section, etc. It’s actually a bit of a mess.
Interesting complaint. In RB where I grew up, there were several houses that had pool/cabana units. Many had small kitchens, all had bathrooms, and many became the “apartments” of senior H.Seniors. (Including some of my friends.) These certainly aren’t “multi-unit properties”. If you rent this to a third party, then, sure maybe the zoning guys could get grouchy, but for an in-law or a maid or a older kid, what’s the beef? I don’t get it.
Jim–What is the address situation like? It used to be that if the property only had one address then you could list it under the SFR section and then apply for a variance to list it under the 2-4 unit section as well. I owned and sold a bunch of these types of properties several years back and I am a FIRM believer that they are excellent investment vehicles/primary residences–you can whack $150-200K off of the price with that $1,050 coming in. It makes coastal a little more affordable and in places like Vista or Escondido you can just about live for free.
Maybe your fellow Real estate Professionals didn’t like your doughnuts?
Next Time: Keep those dishonest losers guessing.
Here’s one for Funny Yunny (wheres it hiding these days?):
Realtors burning Realtors…
To paraphrase Laurel and Hardy
“You could beat Sandicors brains out-
if they had any brains.”
good luck on Friday
remember: living well is the best revenge!
3rd Generation is right….always get glazed raised donuts, not cake donuts. Cake donuts always put me in a bad mood, LOL.
Maybe it’s just jealousy over JtR’s success over the years.
Jim, good luck tomorrow helping out your listing agent friend! Do let us know how it goes!
Jim, if I remember correctly from the showing there is an interior shared door between the flat and house. Kinda makes it less duplexish.
3rd and Jeeman – Is there a such thing as a bad donut? Never had one!
My friendly agent got her variance today to market her 700sf teardown as land for sale with preliminary map for five lots. Tomorrow’s big showdown got cancelled.
My fate is still unknown, but hopefully nothing money won’t fix!
I ate four donuts, if anyone’s counting (1.5 of them a day later!).
Good luck on this, Jim.
It’s pretty obvious to me that it’s a SFH with an attached granny flat.
Definitely sounds like someone’s trying to make your life difficult.